Council staff face risk of salary chop

SOUTH Gippsland Shire Council staff face an uncertain time after council ordered CEO Tim Tamlin to write a report about how to cut staff salaries by $850,000.

Council last Wednesday asked Mr Tamlin to explain how the combined salary and on-cost figures proposed for 2017-18 could be reduced to the levels of 2016-17.

Cr Don Hill initially asked for salary costs to be reduced to 2015-16 levels, which would have resulted in cuts of $1.5 million.

Mr Tamlin said, “That will be an interesting report, for sure.”

“This is what the community wants,” Cr Hill said.

It is uncertain whether the report would include staff cuts, salary reductions or a combination of both.

Cr Alyson Skinner said the motion was “policy on the fly” and Cr Lorraine Brunt wanted to know what reducing salaries was going to achieve, particularly if council sheds staff should it outsource jobs under the review of home and community care review.

Cr Brunt successfully moved an amendment for the reduction to 2016-17 levels instead.

Council had already voted for equivalent fulltime levels for 2017-18 to be reduced from the proposed 264.53 to the 2015-16 levels of 262.5, despite an unsuccessful bid by Cr Meg Edwards to rescind this motion, passed by council on May 24.

Mayor Cr Ray Argento said her motion was invalid as Mr Tamlin had already acted upon that motion by factoring the cuts in the proposed budget.

The call for a report about staff costs was passed as part of the 2017-18 budget, in response to community submissions calling for staff savings.

Council will spend more money on capitals works next financial year, with $22.7 million allocated to new projects.

Cr Argento said, “Council is extremely proud to finalise a budget that includes a capital works program worth over $20 million.

“This is a major achievement in a rate capped environment.”

The biggest project is a new streetscape for Leongatha’s Bair Street, valued at $4.16 million, with a further $501,000 allocated to Leongatha’s Anderson Street town entrance.

Road reseals will be undertaken to the tune of $1.873 million, with Hudsons Road at Korumburra South to be upgraded at a cost of $1.15 million.

Council’s caravan parks at Yanakie and Long Jetty will receive works, with a new camp kitchen and communal area at Yanakie ($108,000), and at Long Jetty, an upgrade and renewal of the kiosk, front office and residence totalling $65,000.

A further $142,000 will be spent on renewing the toilet block at Waratah Bay Caravan Park.

Total rates income will increase by two percent in line with rate capping and Cr Argento said services would not be reduced.

Short URL: http://thestar.com.au/?p=21763

Posted by Tayla Kershaw
on Jul 4 2017. Filed under Featured, News.
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